


to define is to limit

by astraeus (sirensq)



Category: Pitch Perfect (Movies)
Genre: F/F, Meet-Cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-14
Updated: 2021-03-14
Packaged: 2021-03-22 06:55:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,910
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30034803
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sirensq/pseuds/astraeus
Summary: A bookstore meet-cute AU.aka, Chloe is adorable, Beca is into her, and Aubrey is a limiting presence.
Relationships: Chloe Beale & Beca Mitchell, Chloe Beale/Beca Mitchell
Comments: 18
Kudos: 115





	to define is to limit

_“As Miss Cunegonde had a great disposition for the sciences, she breathlessly observed the repeated experiments of which she was a witness; she clearly perceived the force of the Doctor's reasons, the effects, and the causes; she turned back greatly flurried, quite pensive, and filled with the desire to be learned; dreaming that she might well be a sufficient reason for young Candide, and he for her.”_

Beca snorts, earmarking the page and pressing the weathered and yellowed copy of _Candide_ closed. When her English professor had offhandedly mentioned the raunchy humor that Voltaire possessed, Beca had rolled her eyes. Some white dude from the 1700s with a supposedly dirty sense of humor – Beca was sure she could match that any day, minus the likely racism and misogyny that would appear in his writing.

But Beca _does_ think he’s funny, and it’s pissing her off. She refuses to spend money on this short book. No, she would rather finish it, right here, so she could get on with her life and never give Voltaire the pleasure of another thought because the man was surely an egotist, even in death.

She finds the used bookstore’s kids zone, book in hand, and drops gracelessly into a bright red bean bag in the middle of the reading area. Blowing strands of hair out of her face, she leans backward and settles to begin reading.

* * *

“Hi!”

Beca glances up. A pair of blue eyes stare back at her, swimming in confusion. “Are you...are you here for the read-aloud?”

Beca looks at the book in her hand, realizing she has probably been here for a good hour or two from the number of pages she has read. “Uh, no?”

“I didn’t think so.” The blue eyes find her book. “You’re reading Voltaire?” Eyebrows raise.

“Yes?”

The woman in front of her bobs her head but does not continue that line of thought. “We’re doing a read-aloud for the kids in a few minutes, so I’m going to have to ask you to move for a little bit.”

Finally, Beca notices the small group of kids lined up behind the redhead. “Oh, sh– _shoot_. Absolutely. I’ll get out of your way.” She closes the paperback, stands, and slings her backpack across one shoulder. “Sorry. I like reading here. It’s, like, so animated and–”

“Full of life, yeah. I read here, too, when I get the chance,” the woman excitedly cuts her off, donning a grin. “Sometimes, I like being around the kids more than other people.”

Beca’s lips quirk upward. “Yeah, I feel that.” She steps away from the bean bag and shifts in place. “Have fun with storytime,” she says, turning to scour the store for another place to sit.

“Wait–” the woman reaches out, placing a light hand on her wrist. “There’s another bean bag tucked into the back corner of the store, between the nonfiction shelves. No one uses it. You can read there.”

Beca finds herself nodding. “Oh yeah, that’s perfect, thanks, um.” She reads off the nametag. “Chloe.”

Chloe beams. “I’ll see you around!” She motions for the kids behind her to fill the benches. Beca lingers a moment to watch her interact with them, a smile tickling her lips. Chloe’s voice takes on an exaggerated, cartoon-ish character as she reads to them, and Beca can tell the kids are about to get a kick out of their animated storyteller. 

Beca heads to the back corner of the store, certain that she has a thing for said storyteller. 

* * *

When she gets interrupted again about an hour later on the last page of _Candide,_ it’s to the same pair of eyes. “What’s your name?” Chloe asks.

Normally, Beca would be annoyed, because she just wants to finish this goddamn book that manages to make her snort loudly more than she cares to admit. But she’d just heard this woman’s voice acting, and while it’s not Hollywood quality, it was pretty adorable. “I’m Beca.”

“Hi, Beca, it’s nice to meet you. Again.”

Beca gives her a half-smile, tapping her finger against the spine of the book. “Nice to meet you, Chloe. Again,” she echoes and then pauses. “Do you prefer Kipper? The kids sure seem to enjoy calling you that.”

Chloe laughs, tucking a strand of red hair behind her ear. “We’re getting through the Kipper books right now. They all love them, and I love reading them.”

The conversation stalls and Beca looks down at _Candide_ again. Before the silence can last too long, however, Chloe reveals a book in her hands. “I picked this out for you.”

Beca reaches up to take the book, running her hands over the textured hardcover. The grooves have been worn with age; her fingers slot into divots in the cover, divots that reveal the depth of touch and love the book had endured through the years. The front of the book reads _The Picture of Dorian Gray_. “I’ve never read this before. Or heard of it, even.”

“Good. I’ve read Voltaire before, and he’s alright. But I thought that Oscar Wilde would be more up your alley.”

“Why?” Beca asks, confused. “We’ve only known each other an hour.”

Chloe’s eyes gleam and her teeth stand brilliantly against her lips. “Just trust me, I think you’ll like it.”

Beca nods, still confused. “Okay,” she says slowly. “I’ll try it out. Any more recommendations?

Chloe shakes her head. “I think you can start with this one and tell me how you like it. When I see you again, I’ll give you another one to read.”

Beca likes the sound of that. “Sounds good. Do you mind ringing me up in a few minutes?”

“Sure! I’ll be at the register.” Chloe points with her thumb to the front of the store. “See you in a few.”

“Thanks.” Beca skims the last page of _Candide_ and then meanders to the shelf she got it from, slotting it back into place. If there’s one thing she’s learned from working retail, it’s that she’s not going to make other people do that work for her. And if ‘other people’ includes Chloe, well…

She glances over at the front counter, and Chloe is unabashedly looking her way. Chloe throws her an enthusiastic wave, and Beca can’t fight the shy stretch of her lips. 

Damn, that girl is attractive.

* * *

Stacie picks her up in the parking lot after Chloe rings her up. They’re almost home when she spots the book in Beca’s bag.

“ _The Picture of Dorian Gray_ , really, Beca? Can you get _any_ gayer?”

Beca freezes. “What?”

“Dorian Gray is like, the gayest character to not be explicitly gay. He’s basically Dorian Gay.” Stacie looks pleased with herself for that one, but Beca is panicking and can’t give Stacie nearly enough satisfaction. 

“I need to tell you why I got this, and I need your opinion,” Beca rushes out.

Stacie pulls the car into a spot outside their apartment and parks. “Okay,” she replies, puzzled, and Beca tells her about Chloe. 

By the time Beca finishes, they’re shut inside their home. Stacie whistles. “Sounds like Kipper is into you.”

Beca flops back into their couch. “Fuck.”

“Isn’t that a good thing?”

“No. Yes.” Beca groans. “I didn’t get her number.”

“So just go back and see her?”

“She was just finishing up her shift when we were leaving. She’s probably done now. I don’t know when she next works. I’m going to look like a stalker if I just show up every day and–”

“Whoa, Beca. Breathe. Just go in tomorrow and see if she’s there. No big deal, okay? She’s into you and you’re _clearly_ into her, so. It’ll be fine.”

“Okay,” Beca responds. She pulls out the hardcover and sets it on their coffee table. It stares daringly at her throughout her music theory homework until she gives up and starts reading, immersed in a world of vices, heartbreak, and death.

* * *

The next day, Stacie drops her off at the bookstore in the late afternoon. Beca vibrates with nervous energy as she enters the store. She searches around for Chloe, walking up the aisle where she left _Candide_. She is greeted by a worker wearing the name tag “Aubrey.” “Do you need any help today?”

Beca scratches the back of her neck. “No, uh, I’m okay. Just picking up a book I need.” She pulls _Candide_ out of its spot on the shelf, grasping it like a lifeline. “I’m going to go pay,” she says, jerking her thumb to the front counter.

At that moment, red hair and blue eyes appear from the door behind the counter. Chloe sees her, glances at the book in Beca’s hands, and flashes a dazzling grin. “Beca! Let me know when you want to pay!”

Aubrey grimaces at the volume. “Oh, you know Chloe?”

“Kind of? We just met yesterday.”

Aubrey’s eyebrows shoot up. “Oh, you were here yesterday,” she says, and her voice is loaded somehow like there’s something she knows that Beca doesn’t. “Have fun,” she says dryly, stalking away as Beca stares warily after her.

She attempts to steel herself to speak with Chloe, but instead, she ends up doing two laps around the store with _Candide_ clutched between her arms, hoping Chloe might walk up to her. But it seems she’s only working behind the register for the day, and with the line that forms while Beca’s there, Beca realizes quickly that she should probably get in line to talk to Chloe. 

Her feet feeling like lead, Beca walks to the back of the line and waits impatiently for her turn with Chloe. When Chloe finally beckons her forward, her stomach is feeling as jumbled as her emotional state.

“Hi, Beca,” Chloe says brightly, customer service voice in full-action. Aubrey makes a noise somewhere to her left, and Chloe’s face twitches slightly. Beca slides the book across the counter. “Hi, I wanted to–”

“Did you find everything alright?” Chloe asks, scanning the barcode on _Candide_.

Beca falters. “Yes? Look, I wanted to ask if you wanted to talk about the book you recommended to me. Maybe here, or maybe even...somewhere else?”

Chloe’s eyes meet Beca’s as she reads her the total. “Maybe,” is all she says as she slides the receipt into the front cover of the book and the book into a bag. “Have a good day!”

Beca visibly deflates. She quickly takes the bag that Chloe proffers, ready to kill Stacie and escape the humiliation of such a vague rejection.

Before she turns completely from the counter, Chloe calls out, “Hey, you should check out your receipt for a promo code for your next purchase! You can input your _phone number_ there for some amazing rewards!”

Something in Chloe’s voice gives her pause. She nods jerkily. “Okay.”

After she gets outside the store, she sits on the bench just outside the entrance and cracks open the book cover. Paired with her receipt is a note written on blank receipt paper.

_Sorry we can’t talk -- Aubrey might be my friend but she’s also the on-duty manager today. Her motto is professionalism above all else._

_Also, I know you finished Candide in the store yesterday._

_Here’s my number. We can talk about the books and maybe some other things over coffee :)_

_-Kipper (aka Chloe) xx_

Stacie finds her staring at a receipt, and she decides not to comment on the goofy smile Beca sports the whole way home.

**Author's Note:**

> hope y'all enjoyed! catch me as charmills on tumblr :)
> 
> also, this was totally inspired by a viral tiktok but i can't find the video anymore, so if you know of it, shoot me the link and i'll include it here.


End file.
